Friday @ 5: A cocktail to kick off the weekend

June 17, 2011|By Lauren Viera | Tribune Newspapers

(Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune)

Father's Day is Sunday, and it's story time.

In California's hazy 1970s, a 20-something Michael Viera found himself drinking Tom Collinses, a cocktail he'd arrived at in a rather roundabout fashion. His first memorable introduction to hard liquor was the year 1967--or was it 1968?--on a college trip to the Bahamas.

"At that time," he said via telephone, "as you were getting off the plane, the Bahamian government gave you rum and Coca-Cola as you're standing in line [for customs]."

Can you imagine?

Those were the days. And Michael, for one, was hooked.

He stuck to rum and Coke until he discovered Squirt, then drank rum and Squirt. The next bit is trickier, in this cocktail purist's mind: "The transition from rum and Squirt to the Tom Collins was easy," Michael explained, "because Collins mix was pretty similar to Squirt."

(Let's not discuss the fact that my dad just uttered the words "Collins" and "mix" in the same sentence.)

Thereafter, there was a break from cocktails. Michael and his wife settled into their thirty-something lifestyle in southern California and began studying up on regional wines. Tom Collinses went to the wayside, where they've remained ever since.

But 30 year later, like father like daughter, a journalist's curiosity was piqued, a beat was established, and Friday @ 5 was born.

Pour gin, lemon juice and simple syrup into mixing glass filled with ice; stir until mixing glass is cold to the touch. Strain contents of glass into Collins glass filled with ice. Top with soda, garnish with lemon and cherry, and toast your dad.